Yosemite Indians and Other Sketches (1936) by Mrs. H. J. Taylor

THE YOSEMITE INDIANS

AN INDIAN O'-CHUM
Made of small poles covered
with cedar bark for
winter dwelling

Drawing by Mrs. Jorgensen

AN INDIAN CHUCK'-AH
Storehouse for nuts and acorns,
thatched with pine branches
to keep out rodents

Chapter 1:The Yosemite Indians

Note:
The Yosemite Indians were one of several groups comprising the
California Miwoks which, according to A. L. Kroeber, numbered about 10,000 in 1850,
and the Yosemite group numbered about 500 when the Valley was discovered in
1851. Early sources include L. H. Bunnell,
Discovery of the Yosemite,
1880 and
Galen Clark,
Indians of Yosemite,
1904.

serious
and almost hopeless situation was
thrust upon the Indian tribes in and about Yosemite
Valley when, on the discovery of gold, miners by
the thousands flocked into California. The proximity
of the Pacific Ocean made it impossible to push
the Indian westward as had always been done, but he was conquered.
Miners staked their claims on his territory; cut his acorn-bearing
trees for fuel; hunted his game for food; destroyed his bulbous
roots in digging for gold; invaded his famliy, taking young
Indian women, willing or not, for servants and wives. Suffering
from loss of food and territory the Indians made raids on the whites,
taking what they could from the trading posts; stealing horses
from the corrals; burning houses; even murdering, then fleeing to
the mountains. A deadly hate was engendered; the Indian would
drive the last miner from his territory. The whites determined to
subjugate the Indians and kill all of them if necessary. In vain did
General Eastland report to Washington: “The Indians are more
sinned against than sinning.”

Military force was called into existence by the authority of the
state and the Mariposa Battalion was organized. Runners were sent
to the bands hiding in the mountains, assuring them that they
would receive food, clothing and protection if they would treat
with the commission; if not, war would be carried on until every
Indian was destroyed. All the Indians in the immediate vicinity,
except the Yosemites, came. Scouts reported: “The Indians in the
deep rocky valley do not wish for peace. They think the white men
cannot find their hiding place, and therefore they cannot be driven
out “Another scout added: “In this deep valley one Indian can
withstand ten white men. They will throw rocks down if the white
men come near them, for they are lawless and strong as the grizzlies.
We are afraid to go to the valley for there are witches there.”

A special messenger was sent to the Yosemites and Chief Tenaya
appeared the next day. He came alone and stood in dignified silence
until motioned to enter camp. He was informed that if he
would make a treaty with the commission there would be no war.
Tenaya asked the object of taking all Indians to the plains of the
Joaquin Valley, saying: “My people do not want anything from
the Great Father you tell us about. The Great Spirit is our father
and he has supplied us with all we need. We do not want anything
from white men. Let us remain in the mountains where we were
born, where the ashes of our fathers have been given to the winds.
I have said enough.”

He was asked: “If you and your people have all you want, why
do you steal our horses and mules? Why do you rob and murder
the white men and burn their houses?”

Tenaya sat silent for a time then replied: “My young men have
taken horses and mules from the whites and it was wrong for them
to do so. It is not wrong to take property from enemies who have
wronged my people. My young men believed the white gold-diggers
were our enemies; we now know they are not, and we will be
glad to live with them in peace. We will stay here and be friends.
My people do not want to go to the plains. The tribes who go there
are some of them very bad. They will make war on my people. We
cannot live on the plains with them. Here we can defend ourselves
against them.”

“Your people must go to the commissioners and make terms
with them,” the officer replied. “If they do not make a treaty your
whole tribe will be destroyed—not one of them will be left alive!”

“I will not lie to you but promise that if allowed to return to my
people I will bring them in,” pledged Tenaya.

It was the month of March, 1851. Through the deep snows the
chief went into his Ahwahnee*
[*According to a statement made by Tenaya to Dr. L. H. Bunnell, the original
name of the Valley was “Ah-wah-nee,” meaning “deep grassy place.” The Indians
living there were called “Ah-wah-nee-chees.” Tenaya, who claimed to be a direct
descendant of their chief, said they were a powerful tribe until wars and a black
sickness destroyed most of them. The few that were left went out of the Valley and
joined other tribes, leaving the Valley uninhabited for some time. When Tenaya
reached manhood, he left the Monos, where he was born and brought up, and
gathered the remnants of his father’s people from other tribes, and claimed the Valley
as his own. His band was called Yosemite, meaning “grizzly bear,” because they
were fearless and expert in killing the grizzly. When it was discovered in 1851, the
Valley was named Yosemite by Dr. L. H. Bunnell.
[Editor’s note:
For the correct origin of the words Yosemite and Ahwahnee see
“Origin of the Word Yosemite.”—dea.]
but returned to camp the following
day, saying his people would soon come in. Several days passed
but no Indians came. Tenaya said the snow was so deep they could
not travel fast, and motioning with his hands explained that his
village was far down and it would take a long time to climb out
through the snow. When no Indians appeared on the following
day, the battalion took Tenaya as guide and started for Yosemite.
They had gone about half way when they met seventy-two Indians
who had climbed the steep trail.

“Your band is about two hundred. Where are the rest?” they
were asked.

Tenaya replied: “This is all my people that are willing to go
with me to the plains. Many that are with me are from other
tribes. They have taken wives from my band; all the rest have gone
with their wives and children to the Tuolumne River to join the
Wil-tuc-um-nees.”

Tenaya with the seventy-two Indians, mostly women and children,
returned to camp. “We will go to your village and your people
will come with us if we find them,” declared the Major.

“You will not find my people there,” returned Tenaya. “I do not
know where they are. My tribe is small—not large as the white
chief has said. The Piutes and Monos are all gone. Many of the
people with my tribe are from western tribes that have come to me
and do not wish to return. I have talked with my people and told
them that I was going to see the white chiefs sent to make peace.
I was told that I was growing old, and that I should go, but that
young and strong men can find plenty in the mountains; therefore
why should they go? My heart has been sore since that talk
but I am still willing to go.”

On March 21, 1851, the battalion reached Inspiration Point,
from which Ahwahnee, the home and hiding place of the
Yosemite Indians, secured by granite walls, was in full view. They continued
the trail into the “deep grassy place” where they found but one
Indian, a squaw too old to climb the rocks, sitting by the dying
embers of her fire. The villages had suddenly been deserted. About
six hundred bushels of acorns, also pine and chinquapin nuts, grass
seeds, dried grasshoppers, larvae of insects and other foods were
found in caches, which, together with the villages and all they
contained, were destroyed by the soldiers. Major Savage was disappointed
that he found no Indians but looked with satisfaction
on the ruins of the huts he had destroyed. The slow rising smoke
from the acorn caches and other foods was a pleasing sight to his
eyes and he remarked to his men: “Although I have not carried a
Bible with me since I became a mountain-man, I remember well
enough that Satan entered Paradise and did all the mischief he
could, but I intend to be a bigger devil in this Indian Paradise than
old Satan ever was.” The trail by which the soldiers entered the
Valley was retraced and the battalion returned to headquarters.

The Indians who had come from the surrounding tribes, about
three hundred and fifty including Tenaya and the seventy-two Yosemites,
started on their trek to the Fresno Reservation. They traveled
slowly, the men hunting by the way, the squaws cooking
acorn mush and bread whenever they wanted food. Confidence in
their captives was such that on the last night out the battalion
went on to Fresno leaving only nine men to bring in the Indians
on the following day, when a glorious reception with a great feast
and gaudy presents would be given them. The men and Indians
did not come as expected and when, after much waiting, the captain
and his nine men arrived there were no Indians. They had
stolen quietly out of camp during the night while the guards slept
and were nowhere to be found. Runners were sent out and soon
all the captives returned except the Yosemites. All inducements
failed. They refused beef, saying they preferred horse flesh. Garish
presents offered at the agency were refused by Tenaya as no recompense
for giving up the freedom of his mountain home. A second
expedition against the Yosemites was admitted as the only means
of bringing the old chief to terms.

This expedition started early in May, 1851, six or seven weeks
after the first. On entering the Valley it was seen that a few huts
had been rebuilt and there was evidence that Indians had been
living in them, though not one was to be found. At length five
Indians were discovered among the rocks and trees. The soldiers
crossed the river while the Indians fled at full speed, disappearing
in the talus near Three Brothers where they were soon captured.
Three of these Indians were the sons of Chief Tenaya, whence the
name “Three Brothers” for these monoliths. The other two were
young braves, the wife of one being a daughter of Tenaya. The captives
said they were to meet Tenaya near To-co-ya (North Dome).
One of the chief’s sons and the son-in-law were sent to tell Tenaya
that he and his people would be safe if they would come in and
make peace with the white men; the other three braves were held
as hostages. The soldiers practiced archery with them, and one
young brave shot an arrow far beyond all the others. Pretending
to search for it, he dashed away and escaped into Indian Canyon.
The two remaining hostages were tied back to back and fastened
to a tree.

On their return the scouts reported that they had talked with
Tenaya but could not reach him because the rocks were too steep.
They reported that Tenaya would not come in and he would not
go to Fresno. He would make peace if he could stay in his own territory;
neither he nor his people would go into the Valley while the
white men were there. They would stay in the mountains or go to
the Monos. Scouts were sent out with orders to bring in the old
chief, alive if possible.

The hostages were found untying each other and one escaped
into Indian Canyon, so named from this incident. The guard shot
and killed the other—Tenaya’s youngest and most beloved son.
The captain, grieved and distressed, told the guard he had committed
murder. At this moment the scouts returned with Chief
Tenaya walking proudly into camp. Suddenly his eyes fell upon
the lifeless body at his feet. He paused—as he looked, his lips began
to quiver—he recognized the lifeless form. A deadly hate was
stamped on his countenance as he raised his head, gazed into the
eyes of the captain and looked over the camp in search of his other
son. The captain’s expressions of regret and sorrow did not move
the grief-stricken chief He stood in silence; not a sound escaped
his lips that day nor for many days.

The Indians who had married with the Yosemites, on hearing
that Tenaya was captured, took their women and children to the
Wil-tuc-um-nees on the Tuolumne, fearing the old chief would
again promise to take his band to Fresno. Breaking silence, Tenaya
said he would call in some of his people and abide by their decision,
that they were not far away and could hear his voice. The call to
notify the band of festivity, danger or death is a vibrating sound of
such pitch, purity, and quality of tone that it can be heard at a great
distance. Though he called for many nights no reply was made.

A few days later Tenaya attempted to escape but was caught before
he plunged into the river. Angry that he failed to gain his
liberty, fearing that he would be shot for the attempt, overwhelmed
with grief, his hatred toward the captain knew no bounds and he
burst forth in lamentation and accusations: “Kill me, sir captain!
Yes, kill me, as you killed my son; as you would kill my people if
they would come to you; you would kill all my race if you had the
power. Yes, sir, American, you can now tell your warriors to kill the
old chief; you have made me sorrowful, my life dark. You killed the
child of my heart—why not kill the father? But—wait a little!
When I am dead, I will call to my people to come to you. I will call
louder than you have heard me call, that they may hear me in my
sleep, and come to avenge the death of their chief and his son. Yes,
American! My spirit will make trouble for you and your people,
as you have caused trouble to me and my people. With the wizzards,
I will follow the white men and make them fear me. You may
kill me, but you shall not live in peace. I will follow in your footsteps,
I will not leave my home, but be with the spirits among the
rocks, the waterfalls, in the rivers and in the winds; wheresoever
you go I will be with you. You will not see me, but you will fear the
spirit of the old chief and grow cold. The great spirits have spoken;
I am done.”

Taking several scouts, and Tenaya as guide, the captain went in
search of the Yosemites who he knew were not far away. When well
up Tenaya Canyon, so named for the chief, one of the scouts pointed
to a cloud of smoke, which in the clear mountain air, revealed an
Indian village about two miles away on the banks of a beautiful
lake. Aware that the approaching soldiers had made escape impossible,
the inhabitants threw up their hands and cried, “Pace! pace!”
Thirty-five were taken prisoners, all of whom belonged to Tenaya’s
family, among them his four squaws. The young chief of the group
said these were all that were left, the rest having returned to the
tribes from which they had sprung.

When the young chief was asked if he were willing to go to
Fresno, he replied: “Not only willing but anxious. Where can we
now go that the Americans will not follow us?” They had fled to
the mountains without food or clothing and were worn out with
watching and building signal fires. They had hoped to go to the
Monos when the snow melted and make a home with them. On
leaving the lake it was named “Lake Tenaya” though the chief
protested: “It has a name. We call it Py-we-ack.” To these, their last
ochums, the Yosemites never returned. They were taken to the
Fresno Reservation where they arrived about June 10, 1851.

Tenaya and his people soon tired of the reservation and its restrictions.
All that had made life interesting and joyous was gone,
and they longed for the exhilarating air of the mountains, huts
without walls, and freedom to hunt food in their own territory.
Liberty is too dear a price to pay for food and shelter and unwanted
clothing. Life was humiliating to the old chief and after a few
months on the reservation he begged to return to his territory and
gave his pledge—it was never broken—that he would not disturb
the white settlers. He was allowed to go and take his family with
him. With this remnant Tenaya returned to his beloved and secluded
Ahwahnee.

In May, 1852, a small party of prospectors were entering
Yosemite Valley when Indians suddenly attacked them and killed
two of the men. Five of the Indians were captured and were ordered
to be shot immediately. The shooting was observed by a scout in
hiding sent by Tenaya. When the shooting was reported to him,
Tenaya and his people left their hiding places and trekked over the
mountains to join the Piutes and Monos. The soldiers, finding no
Indians in the Valley, hastened to apprehend them on the trail but
could not overtake them.

Tenaya and his little band stayed with the Monos until the
early autumn of 1853 when they returned to Yosemite. They built
their huts in the east end of the Valley, obtained acorns from the
oak trees, and hunted game outside their fortress. The Piutes and
Monos had made a successful raid on ranches and had captured
a number of horses. Several of Tenaya’s men went on a foraging
expedition and, knowing it was safer to rob their allies than risk
a raid on the whites, they succeeded in stealing a few horses from
the Monos. In the Valley they felt secure and after a few days
had a feast of horse flesh. The Indians gorged themselves and on
crammed stomachs slept soundly. The Monos, revengeful and
warlike, pounced upon them before they could rally for the fight
a rid dealt blows of death to the Yosemites, whom they had so recently
led and sheltered. The young chief of the Monos hurled a rock
at the old chief whose skull was crushed by the blow. More rocks
were hurled and the last chief of the Yosemites lay stoned to death
in his Ahwahnee. All but eight of Tenaya’s young braves were
killed. These made their escape through the canyon below. The
women and children were made captives and taken across the
mountains. The once powerful, much feared, cunning tribe of
Yosemite Indians was all but wiped out.

Tenaya’s grand-daughter,
Maria Lebrado,
told the writer that,
two or three weeks after the chief was stoned to death, the
half-breed, Tom Hutchings, brought Tenaya’s bones to the South Fork
in a buckskin and, according to their custom, a three day funeral
was held. She said: “We give Tenaya nice funeral. Much Indians
come; much cry, dance, sing; no sit, no eat. Three days sing, dance
all time, then burn bones and make ashes go.” She illustrated by
extending her arms as if to throw the ashes to the winds.

According to Maria Lebrado, the sole surviving full-blood Yosemites
were herself, a daughter, a nephew, and Sally Ann of Coulterville.
All of these are now deceased. Two great-grand-children
of Tenaya by his Piute squaw and three great-grand-children of
Chief Tenaya, half-breeds through a Mexican father, are still living.
But the history of the Yosemites as a tribe is finished. This
statement was made verbally by Maria Lebrado to the writer in
1930.

INDIAN VILLAGE AND CAMP SITES IN YOSEMITE VALLEY

1. Hoo-ké-hahtch'-ke.—Situated at the extreme upper end of the Valley
between Merced River and Tenaya Creek, and just below the mouth of Tenaya
Cañon. A summer village inhabited up to about twenty years ago.

2. Hol'-low', or Lah'-koo-bah.—Indian cave, immediately under Washington
Column at the mouth of Tenaya Cañon; a low, broad, and deep recess under a huge
rock. Said to have been occupied as a winter shelter, and also when attacked by the
Mono Lake Piutes. The overhanging rock is black from smoke of ages, and far
back in the cave large quantities of acorn-shells have been found. The word
Lah-koó-hah, often applied to Indian Cave, is a call meaning “come out.”

3. Wis'-kah-lah.—A large summer camp on a northward bend of
Merced River,
a little west of Royal Arches. Western part of site now occupied by a small
settlement known as Kinneyville.

4. Yó-watch-ke (sometimes nicknamed Mah-chá-to, meaning “edge” or
“border,”
because of its position on the border of the valley).—Large village at mouth
of Indian Cañon; still occupied.

5. Ah-wah'-ne.—Village on Black Oak Flat, extending from site of Galen
Clark’s grave easterly nearly to Yó-watch-ke. As in the case of most of the villages,
the village name was applied also to a definite tract of land belonging to it. This
area, in the case of Ah-wah'ne, was a piece of level ground of considerable size,
beginning on the west along a north and south line passing through Sentinel Hotel
and reaching easterly nearly to the mouth of Indian Cañon. The cemetery was on
this tract, as was also the barn formerly belonging to J. B. Cooke. This being the
largest tract of open level ground in the Valley, the name Ah-wah'-ne came to be
applied by outside Indians to the whole Valley.

6. Koom-í-ne, or Kom-í-ne.—The largest and most important village in the
Valley, situated on the north side of the delta of Yosemite Creek just below
Yosemite Fall (Ah-wah'-ning chú-luk-ah-hu, slurred to Chó-luk), and extending
south-westerly
at the base of the talus-slope under the towering cliffs for about
three-quarters of a mile, reaching almost or quite to Three Brothers (Haw'-hawk). Old
Chief Tenaya had a large earth-covered ceremonial-house (hang-e) by a big oak
tree in this village. The Government soldiers stationed in the Valley took possession
of the site and established their camp there in 1907, forcing the Indians out.
(Occupied by Indians during all my earlier visits.)

7. Wah-hó-gah.—Small village about half a mile west-southwest of Koom-í-ne,
on or near edge of meadow.

8. Soo-sem'-moo-lah.—Village at northwest end of old Folsom bridge (now the
ford), less than half a mile south of Rocky Point.

9. Hah-kí-ah.—Large village only a short distance (less than one-eighth mile)
below Soo-sem'-moo-lah, and likewise south of Three Brothers (Haw'hawk). A
roundhouse, or hang-e, was located here, not far from old Folsom bridge. The three
villages, Wah-hó-gah, Soo-sem'-oo-lah, and Hah-kí-ah, were inhabited up to about
twenty years ago.

10. Kom'-pom-pá-sah, or Pom'-pom-pá-sah.—Small village only a little below
Hah-kí-ah, and also south of Three Brothers, or under the talus-slope of the cañon
immediately west of Three Brothers.

11. Aw'-o-koi-e.—Small village below and slightly east of the tall pine growing
in a notch on the broad south face of El Capitan. The native Indian name of the
gigantic rock cliff which we call El Capitan is To-tó-kon oo-lah, from To-tó-kon, the
Sandhill Crane, a chief of the First People.

12. He-lé-jah (the mountain lion).—Small village under El Capitan, a little
west of Aw'-o-koi-e.

13. Ha-eng'-ah.—Small village under El Capitan, and only a little west of
He-lé-jah.

14. Yu-á-chah.—Still another village under El Capitan, and only a short
distance west of Ha-eng'-ah.

15. Hep-hep'-oo-ma.—Village where present Big Oak Flat road forks to leave
the main road, south of the steep canon which forms the west wall of El Capitan,
and near west end of the Big El Capitan Meadows (To-tó-kon oó-lah' i-e-hu). The
five villages, Aw'-o-koi-e, He-lé-jah, Ha-eng'-ah, Yu-á-chah, and Hep-hep'-oo-ma,
were summer villages occupied from April to late October or early November.

16. Tí-e-té-mah.—Village only a short distance below Hep-hep'-oo-ma, and
close to El Capitan bridge.

17. Ho-kó-nah.—Small village a little below Tí-e-té-mah, and near site of old
(shack) house.

18. Wé-tum-taw.—Village by a small meadow a short distance below Ho-kó-nah,
and east of Black Spring.

19. Poot-poo-toon, or Put-put-toon.—Village in rocky place on north side of
present road at Black Spring, from which it takes its name.

20. Ah-wah'-mah.—Lowermost (westernmost) village in Yosemite Valley, a
short distance below Black Spring and above Til-til'-ken-ny, where the mail-carrier’s
cabin is located.

21. Sap-pah'-sam-mah.—Lowermost (most westerly) village or camp on south
side of the Valley, about half a mile east of Pohono Meadows.

22. Lem-mé-hitch'-ke.—Small village or camp on east side of Pohono
(or Bridal Veil) Creek, just below a very large rock.

23. Hop'-tó-ne.—Small village or camp at base of westernmost of the lofty
cliffs known as Cathedral Rocks, and close to south end of El Capitan bridge across
Merced River.

24. Wé-sum-meh'.—Small village or camp at base of Cathedral Spires near the
river, with a small meadow below; not far above Hop'-to-ne.

25. Kis'-se, or Kis'-se-uh.—Large village near the river, nearly opposite
Hah-kí-ah.Kis'-se was the westernmost of the large villages on the south side. From it
easterly they occurred at frequent intervals.

30. Haw-kaw-koó-e-tah (Ho-kok'-kwe-lah, Haw-kaw'-koi). Large and important
village on Merced River, where Sentinel Hotel and cottages now stand. Home
oft he band called Yo-ham'-i-te (or Yo-hem'-i-te) , for whom the Valley was named.
The old woman Callipena was a Yo-ham'-i-te.

31. Ho-low.—Village on or near Merced River where the schoolhouse used to
stand.

32. Wah'-tahk'-itch-ke.—Village on edge of meadow on south bend of Merced
River near forks of road west of Le Conte Memorial. The wild pea (wah-tah'-kah)
grows here.

33. Too-yú-yú-yu.—Large village on south bend of Merced River due north of
Le Conte Memorial and close to the bridge between Le Conte Memorial (or Camp
Curry) and Kinneyville.

34. Too-lah'-kah'-mah.—Village or camp on open ground now occupied by
orchard on east side of meadow north of Camp Curry.

35. Um'-ma-taw.—Large village on present wagon-road between Camp Curry
and Happy Isles; was some distance from the river; water was fetched from a spring.